Debt Settlement - Negotiating With Your Creditors

Summary: Credit card debt in the United States is at an all-time high, and delinquency rates on installment loans, revolving credit and mortgages have experienced double digit increases, as well. Fortunately, most mortgages and installment loans aren't subject to interest rate increases as a result of delinquency. This is not so with credit card debt. Many credit card issuers will increase an account holder's interest rate after just one late payment - and in most cases, even if th...

Credit card debt in the United States is at an all-time high, and delinquency rates on installment loans, revolving credit and mortgages have experienced double digit increases, as well. Fortunately, most mortgages and installment loans aren't subject to interest rate increases as a result of delinquency. This is not so with credit card debt. Many credit card issuers will increase an account holder's interest rate after just one late payment - and in most cases, even if that one late payment is received only one day past the scheduled due date. Unfortunately, this practice - which many consider the legal equivalent of loan sharking - has resulted in thousands of individuals facing financial devastation. Those people who were just barely making ends meet now just can't seem to generate enough income to meet their monthly financial obligations. Many have come to a fork in the road and must now choose the right path to successfully pay off their credit card debt. If you happen to be in a similar situation, and are experiencing financial difficulty, but would like to avoid bankruptcy, you may want to consider negotiating with your creditors to reduce your pay-off balance (usually by 50% or more). Don't, however, expect to make a simple phone call and successfully reach a negotiated settlement amount; debt settlement just doesn't work that way. As a matter of fact, if you contact your creditor and ask for assistance of any kind (through debt settlement, interest rate reduction, etc.) they'll likely very politely explain that they're "unable to assist you, but if you make your payments on time for the next six months we'll be happy to review your account for a possible interest rate reduction." So, what should you do? Be patient and take the time to become educated in the area of debt settlement. There are many resources available, which have the potential to be extremely beneficial so that you'll successfully complete the process of debt settlement. If you discover that negotiating with your creditors to achieve reduced settlements on your accounts is more of an undertaking than you care to deal with, there are several competent companies that would be more than happy to represent you. Should you decide to hire a debt settlement firm, it's important to be sure that the company representing you is goal-oriented and focused on your financial success. Many firms will work on a contingency basis, only charging a fee after a satisfactory settlement has been reached with your creditor. Whatever path you choose to eliminate your debt, you can take comfort in knowing that your financial concerns will soon be a thing of the past, which will likely result in no more sleepless nights and no more constant worry. Believe it or not, you will once again feel a sense of relief and a very welcome feeling of "calm."